


Overrides

by Scribbles97



Series: Post Episode Ficlets [38]
Category: Thunderbirds
Genre: Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Hugs, Nightmares, post episode, sos part 1, sos part 2
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-06
Updated: 2021-03-06
Packaged: 2021-03-12 14:42:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,142
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29886135
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Scribbles97/pseuds/Scribbles97
Summary: They’d all seen enough nightmares to know they were best dealt with by company.
Series: Post Episode Ficlets [38]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/572851
Comments: 2
Kudos: 12





	Overrides

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Gumnut](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Gumnut/gifts).



He hated this. Hated the emptiness of the cockpit next to him, hated that there was nobody there to at least  _ try _ and make it feel just a little better after the disaster of the mudslide, hated that instead his kid brother was still laid up in hospital. 

Hate was a strong word for Virgil, but he felt it was for once, appropriate. 

It was a small mercy that John hadn’t questioned the request for a change of flight path. John was just kind of psychic like that, silently knowing just what they wanted and sometimes what they needed. Virgil didn’t doubt that his brother would also field Scott for him when questions were asked, redirect the focus of the eldest whilst he took the time he needed. 

The shower on Two wasn’t the best, but it cleaned him up enough to be presentable for the ward. The doctors, nurses, and helpers had seen all of them in less presentable states, but it didn’t do any harm to at least  _ try _ and look half decent. 

“He’s asleep.” One of the nurses had smiled to him as they passed in the hallway, “But I think he’d enjoy the company.”

“Thanks.” He murmured back as he slipped into the room. 

The bandages were less, was the first thing he noticed. The one around his head gone completely, leaving the blond’s hair in disarray where it had been clipped in a rush for surgery. 

They’d been lucky. 

So, so lucky. 

It would take time, and a lot of effort, but they had him safe. Gordon would get better and was already talking about a return to duty. 

First though, he had to manage to stay awake for more than five minutes. The head injury was still playing with the aquanaut, Virgil guessed it was in part due to the cocktail of drugs he had spied in the medical report. Sleep was preferable though, sleep meant that he wasn’t in pain, that he wasn’t sat staring at walls wondering what his brothers were up to. Sleep meant healing. 

He rested his hand next to Gordon’s on the blanket, smiling softly at the gentle sigh his brother emitted. It was like he knew he was there, even in sleep. 

Virgil understood, the mind did funny things under the influence of drugs. 

“You rest Gordy.” He murmured, turning away to route in the cabinet next to the bed, pulling out the pencil and paper he had left there for such days. Taking up position in the armchair, he glanced up to his brother again, making sure he was truly settled before he got comfy. 

HIs gaze lingered longer than he had planned, caught out as he registered just how young and vulnerable Gordon looked. Gone was the strong, grown-up set of his angular jaw, softened and slack in sleep. His skin was paler too, the golden glow from being out in the pool too much softened and muted. Hair usually stiff from chlorine was limp across his brow, falling in his eyes in a way that begged for him to wake up and brush it back like he always did. 

It was only because his gaze had lingered that he saw the sudden dip of his brow, the shift of shoulders as they tensed against the tilted mattress. 

Virgil knew the signs before he had even truly registered them, was up and out of his seat, hovering in wait. 

They’d all seen enough nightmares to know they were best dealt with by company. 

The yell was loud in the quiet room, setting some alarm off on the monitoring equipment as Gordon’s heart rate spiked. That he managed to sit up quite so well on his own spoke volumes about how much better he already was, but the twist of his face told Virgil more than the movement alone. 

“Hey,” He reached out, catching the shoulder that wasn’t attached to a broken collarbone, “you’re okay Gords, you’re safe, was just a dream.”

Glazed eyes focussed on numbed feet as he gasped in one breath after another, good hand fisted in the bed sheets, as a strangled sob broke free. 

“Gordy?” Virgil prompted again, knowing the nightmare hadn’t simply vanished with the semiconsciousness, “You with me bro?” 

Tears were starting to overflow, tracking down over too pale skin. Each breath became shallower and more strangled as more sobs broke free. 

“Virgil?”

It was the most pitiful plea. 

“I’m here Gordy.” He murmured, “What do you need?”

His good arm reached towards him blindly, begging silently as the rest of him shook with another gasped sob. 

It had always been his first instinct to wrap his younger brother up in a bone crushing hug. That was what usually worked at home. 

They weren’t at home though, and Gordon was broken. The last thing he had wanted was to hurt him more, a deep seated fear of causing more harm than good had taken over the instinct. 

A silent request from a brother hurting though, overwrote the override. 

“I’m here.” He murmured, standing and moving to perch on the edge of the mattress, cautious at first as he let Gordon sink into him. One good arm clung on to his shirt, gripping tight as the sobs were muffled by the material. 

It was all the encouragement he needed to wrap him up, and to hold on as tight as he dared. One hand ran soothingly through unshaven hair, the way mom had done when he himself had been little. The other held on, refusing to let his little brother feel even slightly alone. 

He rocked gently, aware of still healing bones and nerves. 

“I’ve got you Gords.” He whispered, “Just breathe bro, it’s okay. You’re safe.” 

The mantra was repeated, always softly, a gentle reassurance slowly drilling itself into the core of his brother’s mind. The breaths became deeper, forcing away the broken sobs and panicked gasps. 

“You couldn’ get to me.” 

Virgil resisted the urge to grip Gordon tighter, instead simply shaking his head against his brother’s hair. 

“We did though, we’ll always find a way to get to you.” 

“Was on my own.”

“I know,” He sighed, wishing it weren’t true, “But you’re not now, and never again if you don’t want to be.”

Because as much as he missed his copilot, he feared seeing him sent out again more. 

There wasn’t a response, just slow, gentle breaths against Virgil’s shoulder. He wondered if his brother had fallen asleep again, if he should untangle them both and lay him back down. 

The way Gordon’s hand gripped his shirt tighter when he tried to move suggested that that wasn’t an option. 

“Want me to stay here?” He offered quietly. 

A slight nod. 

Resting his cheek against Gordon’s hair, he smiled softly, “Sure thing Gordy. I’ll stay as long as you need.”


End file.
